The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-04-13
THE MAJORS STORY.


stretching out his legs little farther
under the mess table and bringing down
his hand upon it with such force that the
glasses rang again; "by the living jngo!
don't believe there's man in the regi-
ment, or in the whole British army either,
that's had as many, aye, or half rs many,
narrow squeaks for his life as have"
General attention was Immediately con-
centrated on the major, for the above
speech was familiar to all present. When
it burst from the majors lips we all knew
that his wonderful memory had recalled
to him some hairbreadth escape, some
daring exploit of which he was the hero;
or, which was just as good, that his
equally wonderful imagination had con-
jured up some such picture, still having
himself for the center figure.
And when the majors memory or i'm
agination supplied him with an anecdote
he was always generously eager to impart
1t to his friends and brother officers In
deed, we had heard most of his stories
three times at the very lowest rate Of
computation, but then they were retold
with such numerous variations and addi-
tions that they never fell fiat on our ears
But let the major tell the story that is
evidently trembling on the tip Of his
ther interruption or explanation.
"And what's more, besides having got
safely out of some very pretty scrapes
myself, as you all know''-here there was
a loud chorus Of asserting voices, and a
fervently uttered "True for you, major
and the saints be praised for that sameI'
from young Irish subaltern, lately
Joined, to whom the majors stories
still wore the gloss of novelty,
though his irreverent and meagrely
veiled scepticism caused that eloquent
raconteur to view him with some
suspicion-"I dare say you also KNOW"
he continued, "that I've helped to get
other men out of them too. But l don't
know that ever saw any man-except
myself, Of course-nearer being swallowed
up by the jaws of death than our colonel
was one day out in India. For some time
past we had had no regular fighting, and
were in hopes that we might be able to
negotiate peace without further blood
shed. But meanwhile there was q kind
of petty guerilla warfare going on. The
cowardly ours Of natives never showed
themselves openly, but would hide in the
wood by which our camp was pretty well
surrounded"
"a right spot for picnic party, but
quare situation for a campw murmured
the subaltern, who was promptly adjured
to DRY up, and let the major speak,"
Concealed in this covert, they would
pick off one man here, and another there,
from immense distances; for, you know,
they had got possession of lot of old
rifles, and when once they had found out
how to use them, they were beggars to
shoot. And the most aggravating part Of
1t was, that though they ran fast enough
when discovered, vet If you did get hold
Of them, md it came to the point, they
didn't seem to mind being killed in the
least. As sure as I'm living man, they
seemed, like the eels, rather to enjoy It.
suppose they knew there were plenty
more to follow; but, 'pon my honor, it's
astonishing how cheap those fellows
seemed to hold human life.
"Well, as was going to say, our col
Onel was as brave n man as ever breathed
the breath Of life, but he was rash, ter
ribly rash; and one day he was stroIling
about between the camp and the wood
when happened to catch sight Of him.
The very place where poor Willis was
bowled over last week week. said I to
myself. IN just keep an eye on the
colonel, and see that he comes to no
HARM
$50 strolled out after him, and then 1
remembered that after Willis was shot by
some scamp lurking among the trees, we
had posted sentries at short distances
along the outer edge of the wood We
called it wood, but 1t was really only
long, narrow belt of trees skirting the
camp. However, l thought l might as
well walk round to where the sentries
were on duty and make sure that all was
right But when got 20 the place where
l could have sworn the first of them
ought to have been standing there was
no sentry there. So went on to the Sec
0nd post, but 1t was deserted, too, and so
was the third, and the fourthl In fact,
there was not man out of the half dozen
to be found.
"ot course, knew at once that there
was some treachery on foot, and resolved
to hurry back to the camp to give the
alarm. So off started i'll hot haste.
took short cut through the wood in the
direction OF the camp, but I hadn't got
more than half way across when q thick
clumpof brushwood aroused my suspicious
as very likely place for an enemy to be
skulking in. So, keeping my revolver in
readiness, went up to it, resolved to un.
earth any Of the tricky scoundrels who
might have chosen it as snug little spot
In which to lie perdu. plunged in boldly,
but keeping sharp lookout
when got into the middle, there was
. small open space, and in it lay--you NAV
judge of my horror when came suddenly
upon them-the bodies of the six murdered
men, huddled one upon the top of the
other. Soldier though was, and don't
think an over cowardly one, felt inclined
70 turn and fly from the horrible sight
You may hardly credit it, but the bare
recollection OF 1t makes my tongue feel as
If It were glued to the roof Of my mouth.
at was too horrible and ghastly to feel
myself alone, shut in by the dense under
wood-alone with those six lifeless corpses.
With an effort overcame my feelings of
horror, and stepped forward to examine
the bodies. There was no blood upon
them, and ut first l could find no trace
Of any kind of violene. At last my eyes
fell upon what sent cold shudder through
my veins. had often seen fellow creatures,
ay, hundreds of them, slain In fair fight
on the battlefield, and had myself knocked
over many man as Coolly as / would a
partridge among the stubble; but to see
those men, each with q livid, swollen
circle round his neck, with staring ewes,
blackenca lips and protruding tongue, tell
ing that he had been foully and treacher-
ously strangled, that was a widely diff
ferent thing"
"Surc, the major must have begun his
examination at his boots, since he couldn't
at first began the Irishman sotto
vocc, but was checked by sudden glance
shot at him from the keen eyes Of the
major, who repeated slowly and with
visible shudder, Of whose genuineness
there could surely be no question:
"Ah! that was very, very different
thing, and an icy sweat broke out on my
forehead, as, hastily retracing my steps, I
hurried toward the camp When i got
within about twenty yards of the edge of
the wood l saw, not n dozen yards away,
a native standing by tree, with his back
toward me. He was in full view from
where l stood, but perfectly hidden from
any one in the open space between the
camp and the wood
HE had his rifle up to his shoulder, and
was taking careful aim at something or
somebody. The thought flashed like light
ming across my mind: The villainl It's
the colonel he's aiming at My resolu-
tion was taken instantaneously, If he
heard me cock my revolver, then, before l
could shot him down, he might fire, with
out waiting to take better aim at his liv-
ing mark.
my hand instinctively frightened its
grip OF my revolver as leaped noiselessly
with few cat-like bounds across the in
tervenins space, and before the fellow had
time to look round had felled him to the
earth. His skull was smashed in, and he
died without uttering cry or groan
The next moment the colonel sprang